Folding clothes rack



J. S. HARDING v FOLDING CLOTHES RACK Filed March 18, 1944 arrozwns.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 M x r H q H 1 2,382,310 FOLDING cno'rHEs m nJesse S. Harding, Stoughton, Mass.

Application March 18, 1944, Serial No. 527,034 1 Claim. (01. 211 97)This invention relates to folding clothes racks and has for its generalobject to provide a folding clothes rack which is especially adapted fortraveling purposes in that it can be folded into a small compact spaceand thus easily packed, while when unfolded, it provides aplurality ofsupporting arms on which various articles can be hung.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel folding clothesrack which when in use can be hung on a wall or on a door knob or anyother convenient support.

The features wherein the invention resides will be more particularlyhereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the clothes rackembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of one end of the arm-supporting block.

Figure 3 is a side view showing the clothes rack in folded condition.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the rack in open or unfoldedposition, the position of the supporting arms when in folded positionbeing indicated by dotted lines.

My improved clothes rack comprises a supporting member that includes aback board 31 having at its lower end two forwardly extending cheekpieces 4, said back board having provision for hanging it on a wall orsome other similar support.

The clothes-supporting arms of the rack are indicated at 5 and these areindependently pivoted to a block 6 so that the arms can be swung towardand from each other, and the block 6 in turn is pivotally mounted in thecheek pieces 4 so as to turn about an axis at right angles to thepivotal axes of the arms 5.

The block 6 is shown as formed with a groove "I in one side face, whichgroove extends longitudinally of the block, and the inner end 8 of eacharm 5 is received in the groove 1, each arm being pivoted to the blockby means of a nail or other pivot member 9 which extends through theblock 6 and the inner end 8 of the corresponding arm 5. The block 6 isshown as provided at each end with a trunnion II) which extends throughand is rotatively mounted in the corresponding cheek piece 4 so that theblock 6 can swing about a horizontal axis as stated above.

When the block 6 is in the open position shown in full lines in Fig. 4,the arms 5 will extend horizontally, this being the operative positionof the arms. These cloth-supporting arms 5 can be swung toward eachother or folded together, and when so folded, the block 6 can be turnedabout its horizontal axis to bring the arms into their folded uprightposition against the back 3 as shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines inFig. 4-.

The back board 3 is preferably provided with pins or projections itbetween which the folded arms 5 may be received as also shown in Fig. 3and in dotted lines, Fig. 4, thereby retaining the arms in theirfolded-together position.

The back board 3 is provided witha supporting ledge I2 beneath the block6, said ledge be ing positioned to support the block and hold it in itsopen position with the arms 5 extending horizontally. This ledge may beformed by the upper edge of a cross piece I3 which is secured betweenthe cheek pieces 4 and is also secured to the bottom of the back board3.

The transverse dimension of the block 6 is such that when it is in itsopen position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the edge thereof having the groove1 therein projects suificiently beyond the front edges M of the cheekpieces 4 so that the pivots 9 are located in front of the plane of saidedges [4. This construction has the advantage that it permits the endarms 5 to be swung into open positions substantially parallel with theback board 3 thus providing a wide separation between the arms when theyare in their operative open position.

The back board 3 is shown as being provided at its upper end with ahanger l5 which is formed with an opening l6'by which the device can behung on a nail or hook. The back board is also shown as provided with alarge opening I! thus permitting the rack to be hung on a door knob incase no hook or nail is available for the purpose.

When the arms 5 are folded together and then swung into their uprightposition as shown in Fig. 3, the folded rack occupies a minimum spaceand can be readily carried while traveling; when opened out and hung ona nail or on the door knob, it provides ampl hanging space forstockings, handkerchiefs and other articles of appar which travelers maywish to dry.

I claim:

A clothes rack comprising aback board adapted to be hung on a wall,cheek pieces secured to the opposite edges of the back board at itslower end, said cheek pieces extending forwardly beyond the front faceof the back board, a cross piece extending from one cheek piece to theother at the lower end thereof, a one-piece arm-supporting block betweensaid cheek pieces above the cross piece, said block having a generallyrectangular shape in transverse section with one diametrical dimensiongreater than the other and also having trunnions at its ends which arepivotally mounted in the cheel; pieces, said trunnions being nearer toone of the narrow side faces of said block than to the other, the said.other narrow side face of the block being provided with an arm-receivinggroove extending longitudinally there0f,'- a plurality ofclothes-supporting arms having their inner ends received in saidgrooves, means pivoting each arm to the block to swing about an axis atright angles to that of the block, said block being turnable on itstrunnions into either a folded position in which 15 said arms aredirected upwardly and are folded against the back board or into an openposition in which the arms extend horizontally, said block when in thelatter position resting on and being held in such position by the 'crosspiece, the grooved face of the block extending sufliciently beyond thefront edge of the cheek pieces to permit the arms at the ends of theblock to swing into an open position substantially parallel to the Wallon which the backboard is hung, and pins projecting from the back boardnear its upper end and adapted to receive between them the folded armswhen they are in their vertical folded position.

' JESSE S. HARDING.

